Method of joining caissons.



J; W. DOTY.

METHOD OF JOINING CAlSSONS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28. 1915.

Patented Feb.13,1917.

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Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

J. W. DOTY.

METHOD OF JOININGCAISSONS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.2B, 1915.

1,215,504. Patented Feb.13, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3" H G H INVENTOR Arron/v5) UNITED STATES PATENT orr onJOHN W. DOTY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE FOUNDATION COMPANY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METHOD OF JOINING CAISSONS.

Specification of Letters Batent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

Application filed April 28, 1915. Serial No. 24,438.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. DoTY, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods ofJoining Caissons, of which the following is a specification.

In my Patent No. 1,068,228 I have described a method of making a jointbetween caissons in which timber forms are provided across the adjacentends of the caissons,

means being provided near the edges of each joint by which a diaphragmof concrete or the like can be extended across from one caisson to theother, after which the central portion of the joint space can be clearedand filled with concrete. The present invention relates to certainimprovements over that of my prior patent whereby the joint is made notbetween timber caissons or forms, but between the naked ends of theconcrete piers themselves.

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention.

Figure 1 is a horizontal section of two adjacent caissons in process ofsinking;

Fig. 2 is a section of-the same piers after sinking and completion ofthe joint;

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a slightmodification;

Figs. 41,5, 6 and 7 are sections similar to Fig. 1 illustrating modifieddesignsof the joint faces of the piers;

Fig. 7 is a similar section of a complete joint;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of one of the piers of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section on the line 99 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section near the top, as on the line 1010 ofFig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a plan of a continuous line of piers inclosing a rectangularlot.

Figs. 12 and 13 are horizontal sections of modified designs.

Referring to the embodiments of the invention illustrated the piers Aand B are built up of concrete to the desired height above ground beforesinking, or after sinking the lower end only sufliciently to securestability. Or such piers may be built up for a considerable height, saytwenty feet, and then sunk nearly their full depth and afterwardextended in one or more similar operations. In any case there is not aforming of a caisson or cofi'erdam of timber or metal and a sinking ofthe same before filling it with concrete to form the pier, but thelatter is built up in suitable forms and the forms are removed beforesinking. The end faces of the concrete pier are shaped, by the use ofsuitable forms, with rectangular grooves C extending vertically from thecutting edge to the top and, in the case of Figs. 1, 8, 10 and 12 with agroove D at or near the edge which is to be inside of the lot, saidgroove being undercut back from grooves. Steel channels E are used forthis.

purpose in the rectangular grooves C, and angles F in the corner groovesD so as to prevent the earth from entering these grooves during thesinking of the piers and to permit the filling of these grooves withconcrete or other joint material afterward. The channels E may be heldin place in any one of a variety of ways. In Figs. 8 and 9 the cuttingedge of thecaisson comprises an angle G on the top of which is mounted abroad channel H, and the lowerends of the channels E are bent in so asto enter the channel H and be held by the outer flange thereof. Neartheir upper ends or at various points along their lengths the channels Emay be held by means of wedges J driven inward from the outside face ofthe pier. The corner angle F may be similarly held at the bottom withinthe outer flange of the channel H which extends entirely around thelower edge of the caisson or pier. At or near the upper end, or atvarious points in its length, the corner angle may be held by means of abolt K passing through a slot in the angle and screwing into a wooden ormetal block L C through their upper ends, or packed clay or similarmaterial may be used in some cases instead of concrete. The concrete orother filling is then rammed and simultaneously the cover pieces E ofthe grooves are gradually lifted. The concrete under pressure displacesto a substantial extent the earth between the two opposing grooves andforms vertical bonds or diaphragms M, Fig. 2, between the two caissons.This makes a concrete to concrete joint between the diaphragm and thepiers so that practically no water can pass between them, and the earthis so displaced by the concrete of the diaphragm or compacted therewiththat there is practically a water-tight joint. The diaphragms M are alsoof considerable strength so as to unite the piers into practically acontinuous wall to most effectively resist the pressure of thesurrounding earth when the lot within is excavated.

The acute angled recess D at or near the inner edges of the piers servesto make an even stronger and more certainly watertight joint. Aftersinking and excavating the lot within the line of piers and forming thediaphragms M the covering angles F at the corners are removed leavingthe grooves exposed throughout their lengths and the earth is removedclear back to the nearest diaphragm M, after which the space is filledwith a body N of good concrete or with a backing of brickwork or othermasonry and a facing of good concrete. This filling body by reason ofthe shape of the grooves D is strongly united to the piers and by reasonof the fact that there is no interference of earth is composedthroughout of perfect concrete or masonry. The usual step of finishingthe inside faces of the piers and the body N of concrete with awaterproofing coat may be adopted if desired.

For better strengthening the union between the piers I propose to embedtherein stirrups O, the loops of whichextend into the corner grooves D,arranging these stirrups at intervals in the height of the piers, andafter the piers have been completed to unite the stirrups by tie-rods Phaving bent ends fitting into the loops. The subsequent filling of thespace with concrete fast-ens these parts firmly together so as to tiethe piers to each other.

In many cases it will not be necessary to make so perfect a bond betweenthe piers as is shown in Fig. 2. For example, the grooves at the edgesof the piers may be omitted as in Figs. 3 to 7. Then after sinking andforming one or more diaphragms M and excavating the lot the innerportion of the joint may be cleared of earth to the first diaphragm Mand the space thus left filled with a body l. of concrete or brick andconcrete. This makes a joint which is nearly or substantially as good asthat of Fig. 2 in resisting the passage of water into the lot, but doesnot tie the two piers to each other as strongly.

Instead of building the piers with their end faces as in Figs. 1, 2 and3 they may be built so that one pier presents a wide groove and theother a projection entering said groove to a greater or less extent, asin Figs. 5 and 6. This arrangement contributes stability to the oint toresist transverse strains. Piers of this shape may be provided with theadditional bonding means of Fig. 2, but ordinarily it will be sufficientto make their inner edges plain as indicated and to fill such inneredges, after sinking, with a body N of concrete such as is illustratedin Fig. 3. The grooves C and channels E in these cases may be similar tothose shown in Fig. l and may be in greater or less number, dependingupon the distance from the inner to the outeredges of the joint andother circumstances. Their locations will depend upon the shapes of theend faces of the caissons. In Fig. 6, for example, one of the piers hasa comparatively wide tongue and the other a similar groove and the concrete is formed with an extra wide vertical groove and covering channelE at the center and with smaller channels and grooves at the sides.

In Fig. 7 the two piers are made withtheir end faces alike, each havingabroad groove Q, at the center extending from the cutting edge clear tothe top. The edge portions are provided with grooves C and coveringchannels E as previously described. After sinking the piers and formingdiaphragms M of concrete across between the grooves C as above described(and finishing the inside edge of the joint with a body N of concrete asin Fig. 3 if desired), the space inclosed by the walls of the grooves Qmay be excavated with little or no interference from water, beingprotected in this respect by the diaphragms referred to, and may berefilled with concrete to form a strong and water-tight joint. Such ajoint, as completed, is shown in Fig. 7*. The space inclosed between thegrooves Q, may be large enough to admit the body of a man and ifnecessary may be excavated under pneumatic pressure, one or more workmengoing down into it to perform the necessary excavation. I The body R ofconcrete which is filled into this space is of correspondingly largesection and strength.

Instead of the steel angles F above referred to the angular recesses inthe corners of the caissons may be made by means of timber boxes F, Fig.12, the stirrups 0 pass-- ing through holes provided at suitable pointsin the timber. The boxes may be fastened to the concrete by means ofanchors S of any usual or suitable design.

The invention is applicable not only to caissons of concrete, but alsoto timber or metal caissons or cofierdams of the ordinary type which arebuilt up and sunk to a greater or less extent before being filled withconcrete. A suitable construction for tim ber caissons is shown in Fig.13. The caissons T are provided at suitable intervals with projectingtimbers U forming grooves in which are located channels E similar tothose previously described. The caissons being sunk and filled withconcrete the channels E are operated as above described to conveyconcrete or grout to their lower ends and, by raising the channels, toform a diaphragm of concrete or the like across between the caissons. Inconnection with this construction there may be provided at the cornersof the caissons boxes F similar to those shown in Fig. 12, either withor without the metal stirrups above referred to.

Though I have described with great particularity of detail certainspecific embodiments'of my invention yet it is not to be understoodtherefrom that the invention is restricted to the particular embodimentsdisclosed. Various modifications thereof in detail and in thearrangement of the parts may be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparture from the invention as defined in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In the making of a joint between piers sunk in the earth the methodwhich consists in sinkin two caissons with a slight space between t emand with registering vertical grooves at one end of said space and rodsembedded in the piers and extending into said grooves, excavating theearth at the side of the caissons on which said grooves are located, andfilling said grooves with concrete extending across the intermediatespace so as to tie the two caissons together.

2. In the making of a joint between piers sunk in the earth the methodwhich consists in sinking two caissons with a slight space between themand with registering vertical grooves at one end of said space and rodsembedded in the piers and extending into said grooves, excavating theearth at the side of the caissons on which said grooves are located,tying together the exposed portions of said rods and filling saidgrooves with concrete extending across the intermediate space so as totie the two caissons together.

3. In the making of a joint between piers sunk in the earth'the methodwhich consists in sinking two caissons with a slight space between themand with registering vertical grooves at one end of said space which areundercut back from the sides of the caissons, excavating the earth atthe side of the caissons on which said grooves are located and saidgrooves, sinking said piers, removing said filling pieces and exposingthe concrete side faces of said grooves, and filling said grooves withconcrete extending across the intermediate space so as to form aconcrete to concrete joint continuously from the cutting. edge to thetop.

' 5.. In the making of a continuous wall of foundation piers the methodwhich consists in building above ground concrete piers with their endsadjacent to each otherand with grooves extending upward continuouslyfrom the cutting edge to the top, removing the forms so as to leave theadjacent grooved ends of naked concrete, sinking said piers by thepneumatic caisson method, and filling said grooves with concreteextending across the intermediate space so as to form a concrete toconcrete joint continuously from the cutting edge to the top.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

JOHN W. DOTY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G."

